Pacific sea nettle

Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle

Chrysaora fuscescens

Introduction to Pacific Sea Nettle

The Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle Jellyfish is very interesting. They often have riders on their bodies. They offer a place for small living organisms to be able to move around. Sometimes they will only be a host but at other times they will also be a food source.

Pacific Sea Nettle Description

There is a reddish tint on the bell of the Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle which can span over 3 feet. This is a distinctive characteristic along with maroon tentacles that identify this particular species of Jellyfish. The tentacles can be up to 15 feet long.

Class

Scyphozoa

Order

Semaeostomeae

Family

Pelagiidae

Genus

Chrysaora

Conservation status

Not evaluated

It is believed that the Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle is able to identify changes in light around them. This can help them to find threats or to locate food resources.

Pacific Sea Nettle Distribution

The Pacific Ocean is where this particular Jellyfish resides. California and Oregon are the most common locations where they are found. Around Alaska and Japan into the Baja Peninsula though are also locations where the Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle has been found. Today the Oregon population seems to be significantly increasing due to climate changes.

Pacific Sea Nettle Behavior

The Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle is very popular in captivity due to their survival in such conditions. People love to come see them due to their bright colors. As sting from this particular species of Jellyfish isn’t believed to be very painful at all. In fact, many people develop a rash but they didn’t feel anything when they got stung.

The Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle has the ability to control their movements in the water more than most species of Jellyfish can. As a result they have more opportunity to get away from predators, to find prey, and to find the environment they wish to reside in.

Pacific Sea Nettle Jellyfish over Blue Water – Chrysaora fuscescens

Pacific Sea Nettle Feeding

The Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle is able to capture prey in their tentacles. Then they take that food to their mouth where it is swallowed. The stomach lining offers them enzymes to break it down into nutrients that they need to survive. They consume small fish, plankton, and crustaceans. The toxins from the tentacles paralyze the prey long enough for it to be consumed.

They will consume all the food that comes their direction. Sometimes they will eat larvae of other Jellyfish, eggs from fish, and anything else that they can find in their environment.

Pacific Sea Nettle Reproduction

Mating takes place when the female has eggs in her mouth. The males will release sperm into her mouth where it meets with the eggs. The female will attach the eggs to her tentacles. There they will stay until larvae is formed. That larvae will float around in the ocean until it finds a location where it can attach itself.

Once attached it is able to start forming polyps. There can be several polyps that form over time. They may stay in that lifecycle state for a year or longer. It is only after a great deal of time has passed that the polyps begin to separate and become Jellyfish. Then they can move around in the water and find food to survive.

Pacific sea nettle Floating In Ocean

Pacific Sea Nettle Conservation

At this time there aren’t any conservation efforts in place for the Pacific Sea Nettle or West Coast Sea Nettle. In many locations including Oregon they tend to be a nuisance for fisherman. They tend to fill up the nets that were cast out for fish and other types of aquatic life.